Do you REALLY make money here?

I'm pretty sure I said several times that Second Life is different compared to RL--if you read and didn't skim, you might have seen that over and over and over.

And for creeps sake, if I hear the word 'OPINION' one more time, I'm going to vomit--it's the only thing you guys use to backup your arguments.

I make some scratch Lindens here and there by coding, DJing and building for folks. Nothing really worth mentioning. But I'm not really in business in the first place. I guess I'm an Amateur Freelancer, but I'm in SL for fun and socialization, not for profit. If I wanted to make additional money I'd do far better someplace else. Anyplace else for that matter. Shoot, one hour at McDonalds serving fatty food nets you 1200L (after taxes).

If your products can go in a store or vendor and you don't have to spend hours for every single sale, then go for it. But it is a game first and foremost. If you make the game self-supporting, that's fantastic. But if you are miserable working in SL then it doesn't matter if the game is free or not.

I run a popular particle shop in SL (Electric Pixels), and it is doing very well. No, I don't make enough money to retire/quit my RL job, but it is good money nevertheless. I have never had to pay into SL due to ongoing business profits. The more hours I put into running the business, the higher the revenue.

The thing is, a business in SL is just like a RL business. In addition to having great products, you have to run lean (e.g. keep prims down, minimize land size, efficient advertising expenses, etc.) You also have to do other success-oriented activities (effective marketing, outstanding customer service, ease-of-use designs, etc.) If you know how to run a RL business, you can run a SL business.

Calculations of per-hour labor value in SL are not exactly the same as RL. In SL, if you spend an hour creating a product that sells for USD$1, did you make $1/hour? Not at all! If the product sells once per day, it will make USD$365/yr for your one hour investment. That's a pretty good return in my mind!

BTW, I talk about these kinds of SL business issues, including how to advertise and build a store in my blog at:

http://secondeffects.com

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caso%20Milo/192/114/134/

http://secondeffects.com

I make $20-$25 a day here. Not a lot, but enough to help with bills and buy a plane ticket now and then. Oh, and pay for really nice haircuts.

I don't think I can say anything that anyone hasn't already said here. We own a small surf shop and I've expanded recently into different clothes besides beach wear as well as furniture. I've done some custom clothes, custom sim builds, custom furniture, custom textures, reselling with profit sharing, etc... Over all we make a slight profit which supports our SL addiction. Would I like to make more? Sure. Am I obsessing over it to the point that SL isn't fun any more? No.

SL is first and foremost an outlet for creativity and expression for me, a place to have fun, and if I make a little SL spending money after its all said and done then I'm happy.

For those looking to make any amount of money, whether it is just to shop in SL or supplement your RL income, I cannot express enough good people skills. Customer service is everything.

I would make money here if it weren't for the fact that I go out and spend it in the SL shops. I make enough that I can afford to feed my need to shop, which works for me.

*Scratches his head* I believe we are on two very different pages so let`s end here

I've been on for a while now (not a long while) and have been steadily working with my partners to build a business in SL. We've received some good advice and know what it is we need to do to make things really work. The problem is we keep getting distracted. We keep playing. Okay ... let's be frank ... we're too busy getting laid and fucking each other to conduct our business properly.

When I do get to focus I see great things happening, great progress and real income.

And then I start fucking around again and the next thing you know the progress of our designs and marketing has gone no where but we're all smiling so much we really don't give a shit.

Sort of a one step forwards, three or four steps back, kind of approach to running a business.

Our primary product is BDSM furniture and original animations. So, of course, we have to test drive everything. And comparison shop. And ... and ... and ...

Can we make money in SL?

I hope so. It certainly seems possible. Someday I'm sure we'll find out ... one way or the other ... but in the meantime it's fun to try ... or not try, as the case may be. Either way we're having fun.

i made enough to cover my tier and still have fun

but yea if its your JOB then you can make some scratch

SL isn't the place for you.


Don't try to make SL a job, or it WILL Be a job, and then you've ruined it. Have you ever had a hobby? Have you ever done anything just for fun? Focusing on the cost/bene analysis will turn fun into total drugery (with a double side-helping of math) in a huge hurry. In the meantine, I'll be dancin' and laughin' and paying out twenty bucks a month or so for it. Cheap enough. I have friends that spend $200 a week in alcohol alone.

To be happy ... do what makes you happy (!)


BTW, if you think SL is overpriced you should see what some of the combat RPG ppl are eagerly forking over.

It cost me money, but then so do all my other games
I get some return back on my sales, but not enough to cover the rent/tier

I'll add: I make more than enought to cover what I spend in Real $$, but not enough to live on it alone.

My lil' shop makes more than what I'd spend to play Warcraft, and then some- enough to cover costs plus extra.

Think of it as a hobby that pays off.

'bout the same here. Some months better than others, of course.

Mari

My good friend, she has a few dozen stores (she desgins, makes, sells mostly female gothy/BDSM type clothing) all across SL and she makes enough irl to more or less live off of apparently.